Influence of antibiotics on sperm motility in vitro

N.Petrogiannis¹, S.Zafiriou², I.Panagiotakis¹, A.Diamantis³.

1. Gynecology Dept of Navy Hospital Athens

2. Besançon, IVF Unit France

3. Cytopathology Dept of Navy Hospital Athens

Introduction : Potential hazards of antibiotic therapy to male fertility have been discussed, with special emphasis on spermatogenesis and hampered sperm function, and motility disorders are especially under debate. Whereas in vivo, a loss of sperm motility has been discussed only after treatment with antibiotics at very high, non-physiological dosages, experimental data have provided some evidence that the use of common antibiotics such as doxycycline, erythromycin and cotrimoxazole for the treatment of ejaculate infections may impair sperm movement within the therapeutic range. All the sperm samples were check cytologically 

Material and methods : Spermatozoa were prepared from the semen of volunteers with normal sperm parameters and negative semen culture. A standardized solution of spermatozoa with high motility was prepared by the ‘swim-up’ technique. The suspension was incubated for 2 and 6 h with different antibiotics and motility was analyzed. In all cases, physiological concentrations, minimal inhibitory concentrations for Escherichia coli and a 5- to 10-fold increased concentration of different antibiotic substances were tested for their influence on sperm motility after incubation.

Results: In biologically usable concentrations in prostatic secretions and seminal plasma, macrolides such as erythromycin and doxycycline, cotrimazole and modern fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin) had no effect on motility parameters. With doxycycline and erythromycin, a significant inhibition of motility was only seen at concentrations 10-fold higher than know from normal therapy. With azithromycin, a new macrolide suggested for the treatment of genital infection, high physiological concentrations (10 μg/ml) had a significant, time-dependent negative effect on global and progressive motility and all motility parameters.

Conclusion: Antibiotics that are typically suggested for the treatment of male accessory gland infection, such as erythromycin, doxycycline, cotrimazole and modern fluoroquinolones, do not have any deleterious effects on sperm motility under in-vitro conditions, if therapeutic concentrations of these substances in expressed prostatic secretions and seminal fluid are considered. Only azithromycin, commonly suggested for the treatment of urethral infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, may impair sperm motility at high therapeutic concentrations.